>>16218762Only Russia has anything to gain from very publicly blasting its own pipelines. Threatening/destroying infrastructure is the Kremlin's well-established modus operandi. Putin is deliberately applying pressure on the EU to capitulate on sanctions by means of restricting the gas and oil and this action is predictable in a very steady progression of that pressure.
Russia uses the oil and gas delivery as political extortion to end sanctions:
-Russia refuses to pipe additional oil when the EU requested it (to demonstrate the threat)
-Russia slows the flow of oil and gas (to increase the impact and urgency)
-Russia shuts down parts of the pipe for unnecessary "maintenance" (further instigation)
-Russia creates conditions where sanctions must be waived/evaded to supply parts for pumps
-Russia divers time explosions to suggest state-sponsored terrorism on the pipelines.
That kind of sabotage at that depth in those locations prove this is not the work of amateurs - the Kremlin's go to misdirection. The message is clear and consistent with Putin's escalation. The news cycle headline is "Lots of wasted gas that could be heating German homes", for example. Bonus, Putin absurdly blames the US to drive a wedge between us and our allies.
Putin used a similar technique to threaten our transatlantic cables.
https://www.defenseone.com/ideas/2018/01/russian-subs-are-sniffing-around-transatlantic-cables-heres-what-do-about-it/145241/ 
